


Illusions

by AgentDeathblade



Category: Lupin III
Genre: Angst, Depiction of suicide and talks of suicide, Depictions of Child Abuse, Gen, It's a really heavy story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25949938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentDeathblade/pseuds/AgentDeathblade
Summary: A mysterious death was discovered at the foot of the mysterious Tower of Babel, the resting place of a mythical treasure and a legend that has taken the lives of many adventurers. Driven by curiosity, Lupin and his gang decide to venture into the depth of this mystery, for the better or for the worse.
Relationships: Ishikawa Goemon XIII & Jigen Daisuke & Arsène Lupin III & Mine Fujiko, friendship relationship - Relationship
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I got inspired by the cancelled/unmade Lupin movie. I got some ideas from it like the Tower of Babel, the mysterious girl inside of it, and the Angel Fossil. Please be warned that this story can get really heavy and the trigger warnings are in the tags. I'd also like to thank my friend for the title and summary of this fic. :)

Nighttime, some decades ago. 

A man is on top of a building: the Tower of Babel. The tower is somewhere in the outskirts of town. Enough to be distant and mysterious, yet inconspicuous to the normal person. The man on top of the building anxiously walks and paces around before making his final decision. He walks towards the edge and jumps from the building.

Daytime, present day. 

Lupin’s lying down on the couch, bored out of his mind, mindlessly scrolling through his phone. Jigen’s on the chair beside him and is surfing through the channels.

“What to do today?” A bored Lupin asks an equally bored Jigen. 

“Hell, if I know.” Jigen continues going through the channels and stops on the news. “Might as well be the time to watch the news, I guess.”

_ “Today is the 25th death anniversary of renowned scientist Ren Okabe. Okabe was found dead at the bottom of the incomplete and abandoned Tower of Babel in what appears to be a su--” _

“Sheesh. The day just started and the news is already reporting depressing shit.” Jigen changes the channel to a random channel that’s playing a B-horror movie. 

Lupin sits up and starts to type  _ something  _ in his phone. “But that brief news clip just gave me an idea.” He hands his phone to Jigen. It’s on some webpage about myths and legends. “Legend has it that the Tower of Babel has this  _ thing  _ called the Angel’s Fossil. Nobody knows what it is, but everyone who’s tried to steal it has died.” 

Jigen gives the phone back to his friend. “So, what you’re saying is that you want to steal something that may or may not exist then die afterwards?”

“I mean, everyone dies, anyway, whether or not they’re after the Angel Fossil.” Lupin gives out his usual cat smile, which made Jigen roll his eyes. “Let’s have a bit of fun, Jigen! This could be a big adventure! And we’re just near the tower! So, it’s less travel time! What do you say?”

“Fine.” 

Lupin’s surprised. “That was quick. You usually think these things over, but--”

“Look, I’m bored as you are.” Jigen slouches on the chair and puts his hat over his face. “You call Goemon. Wake me up when we’re about to go there.” 

* * *

Nighttime, the same day. Lupin, Jigen, Goemon, and Fujiko get out of the Fiat and look at the tower. 

“So this is the mysterious Tower of Babel.” Fujiko says.

“Is it true that whoever tries to steal the Angel Fossil dies?” Goemon asks the thief, who’s kind of disappointed that the tower’s not that tall. It has only around 4 floors.

“Who knows?” Lupin looks at the others. “Everyone ready?” 

The gang nod and they enter the building. The building really is incomplete—there’s barely anything on the first floor, except for some rooms. 

“Guess we’re checking the rooms first.” Lupin walks to one room with Jigen following him. Fujiko and Goemon decide to split up and look in different rooms. The rooms are dusty, old, and decaying. A lot of stuff from its construction decades ago are left behind and still haven’t been recovered. The rooms Lupin, Jigen, and Fujiko entered and explored are all empty, but the room Goemon entered, on the other hand…

Goemon and a young lady, who looks to be about in her mid-20s, walk out of the room. The samurai calls everyone, so she could introduce herself and vice versa. 

“I found her in one of the rooms.” Goemon said to his approaching friends. 

“Are you here for the Angel Fossil too?” The young woman asks the thieves.

“You know it.” Lupin smiles at her. “I’m Lupin the 3rd, probably the greatest thief in the world.”

“Oh, I know you.” The woman replies. “Everyone who watches the news knows you and your friends: Daisuke Jigen, Goemon Ishikawa, and Fujiko Mine.” 

“Heh. I guess we don’t need to introduce ourselves.” Jigen says. “And you are?”

“Gabby.”

“Well, Gabby, do you wanna team up or go against us?” Lupin asks her. 

“Going against you is useless since there’s four of you and one of me. Also, I think having a competition is useless, seeing as how the only way of getting around the building is by using the stairs.” 

Lupin extends his hand to shake hands to the newcomer in his team. 

“However,” Gabby says before the deal can be finalized, “Whoever finds the Angel Fossil first wins.”

“Deal!” Lupin and Gabby shake on it. A partnership  _ and  _ a bet has just been made, and Lupin is excited that he finally gets to do  _ something  _ to satisfy his boredom. The group head up to the second floor, unbeknownst to them that something evil their way comes…


	2. Chapter 2

The group reaches the second floor. To their surprise, it’s a lot bigger and  _ complete- _ looking  __ than the first floor. It’s still bare, but there are more rooms and the hallways look like they make a labyrinth of some sort. 

“Wanna bet that the third floor is complete and the fourth floor is fully furnished?” Lupin looks at the group, who ignores his remark. “Hmph! Be that way, then!”

“I think we should split up.” Gabby suggests. “The more ground we cover, the faster we’ll get out of this creepy ass tower.”

Lupin smiles at the newcomer. “Good idea, Gab.” He looks at the group. “Fujiko, Goemon, you two explore this floor, while Jigen, Gabby, and I search the top floor. We meet back here in one hour.”

“I’d agree but my watch seemed to stop working and my phone’s dead.” Jigen looks at his broken watch.

Lupin and Fujiko look at their watches and phones, both of which suddenly and mysteriously stopped working.

Lupin sighs. “Guess we’re doing this floor by floor, so we don’t lose track of each other. Let’s meet each other back here afterwards.”

“Don’t you find it suspicious that your watches and phones stopped working at the same time?” Goemon inquires.

Fujiko nods. “Goemon’s right. That  _ is  _ suspicious.”

“Well, what do you want me to say? ‘The tower did it’? Gabby, can you check if your ph—“

“My phone is broken,” Gabby interrupts the thief, “And I don’t have a watch.”

“Just our luck.” Lupin is saddened that this night isn’t going the way he planned. “Anyway, like I said, split up and meet back here, in the staircase, after searching.”

The group split up to look for the fossil. Jigen and Goemon take the left side of the floor and Lupin, Fujiko, and Gabby take the right, but they eventually go their separate ways as they enter the rooms. The first few rooms the gang enters are basically desolate. Absolutely nothing is in those rooms. 

* * *

Half an hour passes and there’s no sign of the fossil anywhere.

“You done, ladies?” Lupin yells from the hallway. 

“I’ll be out in a sec!” Gabby yells back from the room she’s in

“How about you, Fujicakes?”

“There’s one more room left. I’ll be with you in a bit!” Fujiko enters the last room. She explores around and to no one’s surprise, she doesn’t find the fossil or at least anything that could be a fossil. Just as she’s about to leave, she hears  _ someone. _

_ “Fujiko, you have disappointed me again.”  _

Fujiko freezes and looks around. She shrugs off the voice and continues walking towards the door. 

* * *

Lupin walks back to the staircase, whistling a happy tune to keep his spirits up.  _ “Can I tell you something, Goemon?” _ He hears Jigen speak at the other side of the wall door. He decides to listen in on this conversation. The thief moves closer to the door, and leans on the wall, so he can eavesdrop on them without his friends noticing. 

Gabby walks towards Lupin, about to say something, but he gestures to her to keep quiet, so he can hear Jigen and Goemon. The young thief acknowledges this and keeps quiet. 

_ “What is it, Jigen?” _

_ “Sorry, I just need to vent this out, but Lupin’s driving me fucking insane.” _

Lupin’s expression quickly changes from happy to serious.

_ “That frigging optimism, that constant ‘determinator’ attitude, and god, he never takes things seriously. It’s like, god, sometimes, I just think of leaving him and never coming back.”  _

It’s that last sentence. That last sentence hit him like a bullet through the heart. To hear his best friend of how many decades say those words? He can’t even begin to process those harsh words; he doesn’t know how. 

Gabby looks at the thief, who now looks devastated and heartbroken. “Lupin, are you okay?” She quietly asks. 

“I’m fine.” He replies with a sad smile. 

Fujiko walks towards Lupin and Gabby. “I’m here!”

Lupin puts his best smile and the three enter the staircase where Goemon and Jigen are waiting for them. 

“Any progress?” Lupin asks.

“Nope.” Jigen replies.

The others look at Goemon for an answer. The samurai shakes his head. 

Lupin takes a deep breath and sighs. “Let’s move onto the third floor, I guess?” 

The group start making their way to the third floor, with Lupin trailing behind, just to avoid Jigen and try to make sense of what he just heard. Little did he know that things are about to get  _ much worse… _


	3. Chapter 3

They enter the third floor. The third floor is practically identical to the second floor. A maze-like floor with a bunch of rooms. 

“Same plan, Lupin?” Jigen asks his friend. Lupin is too lost in his thoughts. “Lupin?” 

The thief finally snaps out of his thoughts. “Yes.” He replies so quietly, barely anyone could hear him. 

“What was that?”

Lupin’s demeanor changes from sad to angry. “I fucking said yes, Jigen!” 

“Jesus, what’s wrong with you?” Jigen yells back. 

“I don’t know, maybe I heard my best friend say that he wants to leave me and never return?” Lupin snaps back at the gunman. 

Jigen is taken aback. “I never said that!”

“Really? I heard you talking to Goemon about it awhile ago!”

“Lupin, I can assure you,” Goemon tries to intervene, “Such a conversation like that did not happen.”

Lupin angrily looks at Goemon. “Don’t you fucking dare lie to me, Goemon! Gabby heard it too.” 

The group looks at Gabby, waiting for an answer. She nods her head. 

“Oh, that’s bullshit!” Jigen is  _ frustrated _ .

“Jigen and I were talking about the strange occurrence of your watches and phones going down at the same time.” Goemon calmly says.

Lupin shakes his head. “I know what I heard. And you know what, Jigen? I--”

Fujiko steps between Lupin and Jigen before things escalate any further and Lupin says something he’s going to regret. “Why don’t we continue looking for the fossil?” 

Lupin walks past the group without saying a word, clearly pissed off from the argument. They split up again, about to enter rooms to search for the Angel Fossil. The Lupin Gang open different doors, but what they opened to was surprising and shocking to them.

* * *

Lupin opens his door and enters a room that looks like his childhood living room.

“Where am I?” He asks himself. He exits the room, only to find that the tower’s hallway is gone and that he’s back at his childhood home. 

_ “I’m disappointed to call you my son.” _

Hearing that voice made Lupin freeze in place. He’s already having a horrible night: he might be having a falling out with his best friend, now horrible memories are coming back to him.

_ “You’re a disappointment to me and the Lupin Clan.” _

_ “I’m sorry, father!” _

Lupin tries to find a way out of this horrible memory, but he couldn’t. In a fit of panic, he tries to find the way back to the tower’s hallways, but every entrance and exit just brings him back to his childhood home and this memory he’s trying to forget. He slumps against a wall, curls up, and covers his ears. He can’t bear to hear the cruel words coming from his own father. 

_ “I’m appalled that you share the same name as my father and I. You are a disgrace to the Lupin name.” _

_ “Please forgive me, father! I’ll do my best next t—“ _

A slap is heard and it makes Lupin wince. He remembers this day and the pain he felt. It was the day his father basically disowned him and took away the Lupin name,  _ his own name, _ from him. The room becomes quiet and the only sound that’s audible is 10 year old Lupin crying. 

“You’re right, dad.” Lupin quietly says. “I don’t deserve the Lupin name.” He buries his head in his arms and tries to ignore the cries of his young self.

* * *

Jigen opens his door and is instantly transported back to his childhood home.

“What the—” Jigen steps out, and just like Lupin’s scenario, the tower’s hallways are gone and he’s back in his old house in New York. “How the hell did I get here?” He hears a door slam and sees his 17 year old self storming out with a bag and a familiar face following him. 

_ “Daisuke, don’t leave me with her, please. I can’t take care of her al--”  _

_ “I’m fucking tired of mom’s shit, okay?! I don’t know how you can stand to be with that bitch, let alone defend her!”  _

_ “She’s sick!” _

_ “But it doesn’t give her a fucking right to treat us like fucking garbage! Last night, I had to spend 3 fucking hours listening to her calling me names and saying that ‘We’re her biggest mistakes in life.’”  _

_ “You ungrateful prick!” _

_ “What the fuck did you say to me, Rie?”  _

This memory isn’t something Jigen’s proud of. Him and his older sister used to be close and promised to stick with each other, no matter what. They promised that they would defend each other from the monster known as their mother. Unfortunately, over the years, it’s been more difficult keeping that promise. Jigen watches on as the memory plays right in front of him.

_ “I spent my entire life sticking out my neck for you and all you do is fuck things up!” _

_ “ _ **_I_ ** _ fuck things up?! Real fucking rich of you, Rie. You’re the one begging me to stay in this fucking house and you’re the one telling me to ‘just put up with mom!’ And  _ **_I’m_ ** _ the one fucking things up?! You have fucked my life up more than she has! I would’ve left a long time ago, but I stayed. For you.” _

_ “I just want to have a fucking normal family is that so hard?!” _

_ “Oh, that ship has sailed a long fucking time ago, even before I turned 10. If you want to stay here and defend mom, you do fucking you. I’m leaving.” _

_ “If you step out that door, I’m never gonna talk to you again.” _

_ “Threatening me like that? You’re no better than her. Bye, Rie.”  _

It’s been more than two decades since this fight happened. Him and his sister still haven’t spoken to each other since. He doesn’t even know if his sister and mom are okay, let alone  _ alive. _ The image of Jigen’s home fades away and it reverts back to an abandoned old room from the tower. 

“What the hell?” Jigen runs out of the room and he’s back at the tower. “What the fuck just happened?” 


	4. Chapter 4

Fujiko opens her door and finds herself, not at her childhood residence, but backstage of an event or some sort of competition. 

_ “Fujiko, you have disappointed me.” _

It’s that voice again. 

“What’s happening?” She turns around and sees her mother and her young self. It’s a child beauty pageant and 8 year old Fujiko is competing, not that she wanted to, anyway.

_ “That’s not what we rehearsed last night! Do you want to sleep on the floor again without your precious blanky?” _

_ “No, mommy!” _

_ “Then practice what we rehearsed! And don’t mess this up this time like you did the last time. Or else you’ll be saying goodbye to your blanky for one week.” _

Fujiko tries to look for a way out of the memory, but like Lupin and Jigen’s situation, there’s no exit. “I don’t want to remember this memory!” She angrily yells. “In fact, I don’t want to remember  _ any  _ memory that involves that witch, if that’s what’s happening!” She walks over to her 8 year old self, who’s crying her eyes out, but is trying to put on a fake smile. “Just hang in there, little me. When you grow up, you’ll find your self-worth and you’ll find people who truly care about you—like Lupin.”

As soon as she said that, the image of the memory went away. She exits the room and sees Jigen at the other side of the hallway, looking equally as confused as her.

* * *

Goemon opens his door—but it doesn’t lead him to an awful, childhood memory. Instead, the room is just like any other room in this tower: old, dark, and dusty. He wanders around the room, trying to find the fossil or anything that remotely looks like a fossil. 

After a few minutes of searching, Goemon doesn’t find what the group wants, but he does find something worth noting. Hidden behind a door is an old notebook. He picks it up and skims through the pages. The contents of the notebook shock him and he runs out of the room to find the others. 

_______________

Fujiko, still slightly confused from what happened, walks over to Jigen, who decided now is a good time for a cigarette break. 

“You look confused.” Jigen says. “I take it that you saw something from your past as well?”

Fujiko looks surprised. “It happened to you too?”

“Yup. I need a freaking drink when this is all over. This fucking tower just made me remember a memory I’d rather forget.” Jigen hands Fujiko a stick of cigarette and a lighter. “You might need a break too.”

“Thanks.” Fujiko accepts the offer and the two have their smoke break in silence, trying to forget the memories they’ve just faced.

After a few minutes of going around the floor, trying to find his friends, Goemon sees Jigen and Fujiko in one corner and walks over to them. “I have found something important.”

“Please tell me you found the fossil, so we can get out of this godforsaken place.” Jigen looks at Goemon hoping for a bit of good news.

The samurai holds up a notebook instead. “It’s Ren Okabe’s journal.”

The three open the journal and the contents of it disturb them: every single page has “GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!” written in them. Those two words are all that’s written in the notebook’s pages. 

Fujiko’s eyes widen as she tries to put the pieces together. “Okabe must’ve seen his biggest fear or trauma and jumped off the building to avoid them.”

“What do you mean by that?” Goemon is kind of puzzled at Fujiko’s conclusion.

“Fujiko and I saw some traumatic flashbacks of our childhood and—” Jigen stops explaining since Goemon’s question just hit him. “What do you mean? You didn’t experience it?”

Goemon shakes his head.

“Well, aren’t you the lucky one?” Jigen puts out his cigarette. “How’d you do it?”

“Simple: I have come to terms with my trauma and I have acknowledged them.” Goemon answers. 

Fujiko also puts out her cigarette. “Well, that’s easier said than done. Good for you, Goemon.” 

“If what you’ve experienced is true, we have to get out of here before even worse fears and traumas start to manifest.” Goemon suggests.

“But first, we have to find Lupin and Gabby.” Fujiko says.

“Shit.” Jigen mutters under his breath. 

“What’s wrong, Jigen?” Goemon looks at his friend.

“Lupin’s the most susceptible to this tower’s influences.” Jigen says. Fujiko and Goemon look at him, waiting for him to continue explaining. “Think about it, guys.” He continues to explain. “He heard a conversation that  _ never  _ happened and now he might’ve seen  _ something  _ that probably made him even feel worse.” 

Jigen starts to walk in front of Goemon and Fujiko. “We have to split up and find him before he does something to himself.” 


	5. Chapter 5

Jigen, Goemon, and Fujiko search the floor and every room to find their friend. A few minutes pass, but no signs of Lupin anywhere. 

“Where could he be in this frigging maze?” Jigen says in frustration. He opens another door and sees his friend, curled up in a corner. “Lupin?” He runs to him and sits beside him. “Are you okay?”

Lupin looks up, his eyes red from crying, and sees Jigen sitting beside him. “Jigen, is that really you?” 

“Yup. Don’t worry. It’s me.” Jigen softly says. 

“What do you want?” Lupin’s voice is sullen. 

Jigen speaks a bit louder. “We have to get out of this tower.  _ Now. _ This tower is showing everyone their fears and past traumas. That’s why Okabe committed suicide.”

“What’s the point?” Lupin quietly says. “Like I said earlier tonight, we’re all gonna die, anyway.”

Jigen snaps and stands up. “Who the fuck cares if we’re gonna die someday?! All I want is for us to not die tonight, you included, Lupin.”

Lupin doesn’t respond. 

“So, you’re just going to give up like that, huh? Just because you saw some bad memories? If you stay here and do nothing, I won’t forgive you. I will  _ never  _ forgive you.” Jigen coldly says.

Lupin still doesn’t respond. 

“Don’t make me drag you out of this room, Lupin.” 

No response.

“This is all on you.” Jigen grabs Lupin’s arm and starts to drag him out of the room. “Fujiko! Goemon!” He yells out. “I found him!” 

Fujiko and Goemon run towards their friends and see Lupin, lying down on the ground, in a pretty mental horrible state.

“What happened to you?” Goemon asks. 

Lupin doesn’t answer.

“He’s lost in his thoughts at the moment.” Jigen replies. “Where’s Gabby?”

“I haven’t seen her since we--” Goemon gets interrupted by Gabby running to the group.

“I’m here!” Gabby looks at Lupin. “What happened to him?”

“Hey Gabby, a question,” Fujiko looks at the young thief. “Did you experience some flashbacks while you were searching for the fossil?”

Gabby shakes her head. “No. Why?”

“That’s what happened to the three of them.” Goemon answers her.

Jigen looks at Lupin. “You have to stand up, because I sure as hell won’t drag you down the stairs. Then you can sulk later.” 

Lupin finally responds in the form of a nod and stands up. 

“Okay, let’s go.” Jigen leads the group back to the staircase and down to the first floor. However, when they reach the first floor, the tower has played with them, once again. 

“What the--how the hell are we back on the third floor?!” Jigen yells in disbelief and frustration.

“Maybe…” Lupin says quietly, but audible enough for everyone to hear. “Okabe didn’t die, because he saw his fears. Maybe he died, because the only way out is up.” 

Fear and horror strikes everyone’s faces. What if Lupin is right and the only way out of the tower is by jumping?

“No.” Jigen says out loud. “I refuse to believe that’s the only way.” He looks at the others with determination in his eyes. “We’re going to the top floor, if that’s what the tower wants, and find a way out of there.”

The group agrees and they run up to the fourth floor, with Fujiko holding Lupin’s hand to make sure he doesn’t get left behind. Jigen opens the door to the floor and again, they’re met with a labyrinth of a floor.

“Jigen, are we still looking for the Angel Fossil?” Goemon asks. 

“Screw the Angel Fossil! Keeping us alive is the only thing that matters right now.” Jigen answers back.

“I have a suggestion.”

Everyone looks at Gabby, curious about the suggestion.

“What if the tower wants us to find the Fossil? Then if we do, it would show us the exit.” 

“At this point, I’m willing to try anything to get out.” Jigen says.

“My plan, it is!” Gabby says excitedly.

“What about Lupin?” Fujiko asks, still holding Lupin’s hand. 

Gabby raises her hand. “I can look after him while you three search.” 

“Are you sure, Gabby?” Jigen is surprised. “You were excited about finding the Fossil and even made a bet.”

“It’s fine, as long as I see it.” Gabby replies. “Besides, I only made a bet with Lupin. Since he’s in no condition to be treasure hunting, the bet’s off.” 

“We’ll be back very soon.” Goemon says. 

Gabby waves to the three, leaving to find the Angel Fossil and smiles at Lupin, who is still under depression. “Why don’t we have some fun, Lupin?”

* * *

45 minutes had passed by and lady luck was on their side. They were able to find the fossil, or what they think is the fossil, in one of the hallways. They run back to the staircase only to discover that Lupin and Gabby are nowhere to be seen. 

“What are the fuck are they?” Jigen has had enough of this night.

“This could be the tower’s illusions.” Goemon says. 

Something dawns on the gunman. “The roof. We have to check there before Lupin and Gabby end up like Okabe.” Jigen says, sprinting for the stairs. 

The three run as fast as they can to the roof. They see Lupin standing near the edge of the building, looking at Tokyo’s skyline. 

“Lupin, don’t you fucking dare.” Jigen says, walking closer to his friend to make sure he doesn’t jump.

“Relax, Jigen. I won’t.” Lupin answers quietly. “I’m just admiring the view.” 

“We found it!” Fujiko says. 

Lupin and Gabby turn around and see Goemon holding up a glowing orb. 

Gabby walks up to the samurai. “Can I touch it?”

“Certainly.” Goemon hands the orb to the young woman and she starts to laugh. 

Goemon looks puzzled at her. “What’s so funny?” 

“Congratulations!” Gabby exclaims. “You’re the first people who survived and resisted the tower’s influences, or should I say,  _ my  _ influences, and found the fossil!”

The Lupin Gang are rightfully bewildered. Gabby turns into a divine entity; an angel with wings. The fossil was Gabby’s all along. 

“The flashbacks, the disorganized hallways and exits, and, in Lupin’s case, overhearing a non-existent chat were all a test!” Gabby looks at the Gang who are even more confused at the strange turn of events, “Now, as a reward, I’ll be granting all of you a chance to transcend reality; become gods and goddesses or divine beings, yourselves.”

Lupin walks up to Gabby, but Jigen stops him. “You’re not gonna accept it, are you? That reward is basically dying, and I want us all to survive.”

“Like I said, Jigen,” Lupin looks at the gunman, “We’re all gonna die someday.”

“You’ve decided to take up my offer, Lupin?” Gabby asks the thief.

“No.” Lupin replies coldly. “How dare you?” 

Gabby is surprised. “I don’t understand.” 

“How  _ dare  _ you?” Lupin’s voice is absolutely furious. “Not only did you give me a mental breakdown, but you also made us go through some of our worst memories. But do you know what’s the worst thing you’ve done? You’ve killed Okabe and hundreds of people over the years by letting them play this sick little game of yours that ends in  _ nothing  _ except death.” 

The gang looks at Lupin, curious at what he’s going to do next. The thief quickly grabs the orb from the angel. “You may be an angel, Gabby. But you’re also a fallen one.” Lupin takes his last glance at Gabby. “So, from the bottom my heart, see you in hell.” He throws the orb on the ground. Gabby starts to scream as she fades away. The gang look in horror while watching her disappear from this existence. 

* * *

The tower is finally a normal tower and the Gang finally make it back to the car. Jigen starts the car and they drive back to their hideout. Fujiko and Goemon are asleep in the backseat while Lupin is too jittery from the events.

“Hey Jigen…” Lupin addresses his friend. 

“Yeah?” Jigen said, with his eyes not pulling away from the road.

“I just wanna say thanks.”

“For what?”

“For not leaving me.”

Jigen chuckles. “You friggin’ idiot. Of course, I won’t leave you. You’re my friend.”

It’s that last sentence that caught Lupin attention. “Well then, thank you for being a friend.” He replies back.

“No problem. Now get some rest, you need it.” 

“Awwww! Love you too, Ji-Ji.” 

“Don’t push it, Lupin.”

Lupin and Jigen joke and laugh, as the sun rises; greeting them a brand new day after a long and heavy night.


End file.
